Bandleader and arranger-composer Johnny Pacheco passed away on Feb. 15, 2021 at the age of 85. He was born as Juan Azarías Pacheco Knipping on Mar. 25, 1935 in the Dominican Republic. His father Rafael Azarias Pacheco, was the leader and clarinetist of the Orquesta Santa Cecilia, a leading big band in the 1930s. He […]

Singer Nancy Wilson was born on February 20, 1937 in Chillicothe, Ohio. She sang in church choirs and at the age of four knew that she wanted to be a singer. Wilson won a local talent contest in Columbus, Ohio when she was 15; the prize was appearing on a television show twice a week. […]

Pianist and leader Sergio Mendes was born on February 11, 1941 in Niterol, Brazil near Rio de Janeiro. Originally Mendes planned to become a classical pianist, but he turned towards jazz and was working in nightclubs by the late 1950s. Mendes was part of the Brazilian bossa-nova movement, forming the Sexteto Bossa Rio in 1961. […]

Bassist Rufus Reid was born on February 10, 1944 in Atlanta, Georgia. Reid grew up in Sacramento, playing trumpet through his school years and even when he was in the Air Force. However while serving in the military, he became interested in switching to bass, after his discharge he extensively studied the instrument (getting a […]

Tenor and soprano saxophonist Bill Evans was born on February 9, 1958 in Clarendon Hills, Illinois. Evans studied classical clarinet early in life, switching his focus to jazz tenor saxophone by high school, studying with Dave Liebman at William Paterson University. He moved to New York City in 1979, freelanced and joined Miles Davis’ group […]

Pianist and keyboardist Joe Sample was born on February 1, 1939 in Houston, Texas. Sample began playing piano when he was five, forming a group in high school with tenor-saxophonist Wilton Felder and drummer Stix Hooper that they called the Swingsters. He studied piano at Texas Southern University where he met trombonist Wayne Henderson and […]

Tenor-saxophonist Ronnie Schatt (who became known as Ronnie Scott) was born on January 28, 1927 in London, England. Scott became a professional jazz musician by the time he was 16, working in local London clubs and touring with Johnny Claes (1944-45) and Ted Heath in 1946. He played with many dance bands and combos including […]

Violinist Stephane Grappelly (who went by Grappelli after 1969) was born on January 26, 1908 in Paris, France. He began playing violin at 12 and at 15 was supporting himself as a musician, accompanying silent films. Inspired by Joe Venuti, Grappelli began playing jazz when he was 20, doubling on piano and working in 1929-30 […]

Composer, singer and pianist Antonio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim was born on January 25, 1927 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Early on, Jobim played music in nightclubs and bars, also working as an arranger for a record label. He first became well known in 1956 when he co-wrote music for the play Orfeu da […]

Vibraphonist Gary Burton was born on January 23, 1943 in Anderson, Indiana. Unlike most vibraphonists, the vibes and marimba were his first instruments, starting when he taught himself when he was six (although he had piano lessons when he was 16). Burton spent time in Nashville during 1959-60, performing and recording with guitarist Hank Garland. […]